A Treatise of Original Sin, Part 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Whether we are Sinners by Natural Propagation, or by Imitation.
THere remaineth one great Doubt, Whether we are ſo by Natural Propagation, becauſe born of him, or by occaſion only and imitation, becauſe he ſinned? We are not (ſay ſome) made ſinners as ſoon as we are born, but when by free-will we come to conſent to ſinne and chooſe it. Thus Pelagians of old, and Socinians of late, with many others. Eraſmus, though he ſaith, he holds Original ſinne, yet uſeth all his ſtrength to enervate the Orthodox Interpretation.
SECT. I.
That Adam's Diſobedience makes us Sinners by Propagation.
BUt there are cogent Reaſons to underſtand it thus, That Adam's Diſobedience makes us ſinners by natural Propagation: As
Firſt, Becauſe the Apoſtle ſtill chargeth our guilt and ſinfulneſs upon Adam only, upon that one man, and upon that one offence, whereas if it were by example and imitation only, it might be upon our parents and others, and upon their tranſgreſſions: So that the Apoſtle might have ſaid, By many men, and many diſobediences, we are made ſinners; but ſtill he chargeth it on one man, and one offence.
Secondly, If Imitation be taken ſtrictly, then a man muſt know, and have in his eye that which he doth imitate; but how many thouſands are there, that runne into all exceſs of wickedneſs, and never heard of Adam, much leſs could not propound his ſin for a patern to follow? So that even in the Pelagian ſenſe, to be ſinners by Imitation cannot be properly uſed in this Controverſie.
Thirdly, If the Apoſtle underſtood ſin only by Imitation, or occaſion, not Propagation, then as Auſtin of old well urged; it might be more properly faſtned upon the Devil, as the Original; for it was not by Adam, but the Devil that ſin came into the world, in this ſenſe, and ſo death by ſinne; Hence the Devil is ſaid to be a manſlayer from the beginning, Joh. 8. 44. or a murderer, and that both of ſouls and bodies; In ſomuch that the Devil was the occaſion of all the wickedneſs, and death the consequent thereof: And hence our Saviour ſpeaking of wicked men, Joh 8. ſaith, They are of their Father the Devil, and what they ſee him do, that they do. So that the Devil is made to be the original of ſinne by imitation to wicked men, and not Adam.
Fourthly, Adams ſinne muſt be made ours by natural Propagation, not Imitation, Becauſe death is made the neceſſary conſequent of it all that … have ſinned Adam's ſinne: But now death is propagated naturally; Hence Infant die, which yet according to the beſt Divines have not actual ſinne, why … it that they die? yea they are not only ſubject to death, but to exquiſite torments and pains; yea, Infants have been grievouſly poſſeſſed with the Devils, and tormented by them: Now this could not be, if they were not guilty of ſia: If therefore death be by natural Propagation, then ſinne the cauſe of it, muſt alſo be in that manner.
Fifthly, This compariſon made between the firſt Adam communicating ſin, and the ſecond, communicating Righteouſneſs, doth fully evince this: For we are made righteous by Chriſt, not only as if he were a patern, and example of Righteouſneſs unto us, but by an hidden and ſecret infuſion of holineſs into our ſouls, whereby we are made new creatures, and ſaid to be partakers of the Divine Nature: For whereas the Papiſts would argue, as they think, very ſtrongly for our Juſtification by inherent Righteouſneſs from the parallel made between Adam and Chriſt; As (ſay they) we are made ſinners, not by imputation onelyonly, but by inherency through Adam's diſobedience; ſo we muſt be made righteous by Chriſt, not by imputation, but inherently. We retort the Argument, and ſay, Becauſe Adam's ſin is imputed tous, wherby we are made ſinners, ſo Chriſts obedience is made ours, whereby we are conſtituted righteous: Yet we grant further, That by Chriſt we are made inherently righteous, though by that we are not juſtified; and this inward renovation comes not from Chriſt by example, but a powerfull and ſecret transformation of the whole man, ſo that as to partake of Adam's ſinne, we muſt be born naturally of Adam; For if God ſhould create ſome men in an extraordinary manner, not by natural deſcent from him, they would not have this natural contagion cleaving to them; ſo to partake of Chriſts Righteouſneſs, it's neceſſary we muſt be new born by the Spirit of God. Thus you ſee many Reaſons, compelling us to underſtand the manner how by Adam's diſobedience we are made ſinners, to be by natural Propagation: For, if this foundation be not laid ſure, the whole fabrick will quickly fall to the ground. We come then to the Obſervation, which is,
SECT. II.
THat all mankind by Adam's diſobedience are truly and properly made ſinners. The Text is ſo clear that we would wonder any ſhould be ſo deluded, as to confront the Truth contained therein: Every one that is naturally born of Adam, is thereby, and in that reſpect made a ſinner, though he ſhould have no actual tranſgeſſions of his own: An Infant, that liveth not to be guilty of any actual evil, yet becauſe Adam's ſeed, is thereby made a ſinner, and ſo a child of Gods wrath. Certainly, the Apoſtle would not have been ſo large and induſtrious in affirming this Truth: But becauſe of the evident neceſſity to know it, and the great utility that may come to us, if duly improving this knowledge. To be ſure he layeth this as a foundation, to exalt and magnifie the grace of God by Chriſt: So that they who deny this original contagion, muſt needs rob Chriſt and his grace of the greateſt part of that glory due to him.